234 AMERICAN flUSBANDRY. 



- CHAPTER XVI. 



THE DAIRY. 



Us Profits.— \ature of the Expenses. — Products in Cheese or 

 in Butter. — Comparative Profits. — Circular to Dairy-women, 



The first object of a farmer in cultivating the soil 

 is profit ; and next to this, the desire of securing his 

 profits with as little expenditure of labour and means 

 as possible. To do this, the quality of the soil, its 

 condition, and the size of the farm must be taken 

 into consideration. Its situation will in a great 

 measure determine the first ; its condition will of 

 course depend on the judicious or injudicious treat- 

 ment it has received ; and as to number of acres, it 

 is evident that, without a certain quantity of them, 

 some kinds of farming, such as grain-raising or 

 wool-growing, cannot be profitably undertaken. Per- 

 haps there is no one branch of farming that can be 

 so readily adapted to all farmers, great or small, as 

 the dairy ; and while it is clear that to raise grain 

 extensively, a large farm is required, and nmch la- 

 bour and money must be expended, a medium farm, 

 one of eighty or a hundred acres, will be found best 

 calculated for the dairy, as the hiring of assistants 

 can usually be dispensed with in such cases. For a 

 man with but forty acres to attempt the raising of 

 grain for sale, and to keep, at the same time, the ne- 

 cessary horses, cows, and sheep for his farm and 

 the supply of tlie family, would be an unprofitable 

 undertaking ; but on such a farm a dairy may be 

 kept that will be a source of great profit when com- 

 pared with the capital invested. 



To have this matter clear, it will be best to make 

 a few estimates, in all cases getting as near well-es- 



